Friday, April 11, 2008

Strawberry Balsamic Sherbet

I spied the season’s first strawberries yesterday and grabbed them. Bright red, plump and calling out to me for immediate purchase, my initial inclination was to make a sorbet. But then I remembered a delicious sherbet I’d had at a friend’s house a few years ago. It was a fresh and bright compilation of fresh strawberries with a splash of really good balsamic vinegar. Very simple and very much in tune with the best of spring’s bounty.

This recipe comes together really fast - no muss, no fuss. The mixture is blended and chilled and then spun in your ice cream maker. Presto! Glace à la fraise, the essence of strawberries.

Bench notes:
- Sherbet is a fruit puree to which a bit of dairy has been added. This is what differentiates it from sorbet, which is basically fruit puree and simple syrup.
- If you happen to have a high quality balsamic vinegar, now is the time to use it.

Combine fruit and sugar in a food processor or blender. Add balsamic and blend into a puree. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Strain the mixture if seeds bother you. Add cream and freeze in your ice cream maker. Voila!

I absolutey adore strawberries so I definitely must try this sherbet with balsamic vinegar. Unfortunately April is not a season for strawberries in Poland so I am forced to wait a couple of weeks more to be able to try it out. What a torture!!!

Hello berry lovers! I hope you are anticipating this season's crop of fresh fruit as much as I am. First, the strawberries. I hope you get a chance to try this sherbet - it's so easy and fast and a real reminder of all the tasty wonders of the natural world. Cheers!

Elisabetta, it's heavy cream. I will go in and change my post so it's clearer. You can use whipping cream if that is what you have on hand. FYI, heavy cream has 36% - 40% butterfat and whipping cream has 30% butterfat. For ice creams and sherbets, the higher butterfat content is desirable!

Thanks so much for your question and I really hope you enjoy this special ode to the glorious strawberry!